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As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

14th October: Twister (Steelbook)

14th October: Twisters

14th October: Furiosa (Steelbook)

14th October: I Walked...

One thing I find interesting is that ever since Disney came out with their own take on the story of Aladdin, everyone acts like Disney owns it. They don’t. It’s a public domain fable that’s centuries old. If you want to make an Aladdin movie, there’s really nothing in your way — you can just go out and do it. That’s what visual artist Matt Busch did. Busch has worked in the industry for over three decades, and his resume includes IPs as varied as Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings. Those are all locked down under corporate ownership. But no one owns Aladdin, so…..Busch presents Aladdin 3477: The Jinn of Wisdom! This isn’t going to be like any other version of Aladdin you’ve ever seen. For one thing, it takes place in the far future. High fantasy meets sci-fi...

An AFC West showdown is coming to Prime Video the day after Thanksgiving, and we’ll explain all the important details of the game here.

The day after Thanksgiving has become known as a traditional shopping day, but the NFL wants to own Black Friday. That’s why, for the second season in a row, Prime Video will host an exclusive NFL game on the unofficial holiday. This year, the game will see the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s an AFC West rumble, which means no matter the standings the two teams will be guaranteed to play each other tough. We’ll break down all the details on the game below, so you don’t have to worry about trying to find the game through a fog of Thanksgiving leftovers!

Everything you need to know about Prime Video’s Black Friday...

The second season of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon wrapped up earlier this year, ushering in a long night through which fans will have to wait for more episodes. We've heard that preproduction began on October 31. Now a new rumor making the rounds says that actual shooting will begin in March of 2025.

Rumor or not, this does more or less line up with what we've heard from folks like House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal, who's said that expected shooting to start "earlyish 2025." March is on the tail end of earlyish, so it checks out.

The show has a lot of ground to cover after the second season ended on many matters unresolved. Criston Cole and the Greens were marching on the Riverlands while Daemon Targaryen and his army of rivermen waited to meet them. King Aegon had fled King's Landing and a fleet...

Grab streamers like AMC+, Starz and many more starting at just $1 per month through Prime Video’s subscriptions.

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year: time for Prime Video to roll out its list of streaming services on sale for the holidays. Prime Video offers huge discounts on partner streaming subscriptions for Black Friday each year, and 2024 is no exception. Below, you’ll find a list of the nearly 20 streaming services on sale for Black Friday through Prime Video now, and a link to each to allow you to sign up and start saving. These deals are only good until Dec. 2, so sign up now and start watching!

Which streaming services are on sale for Black Friday through Prime Video? Service Regular Price Deal Price Acorn TV $8/mo $2 AMC+ $5/mo (ad-supported)

$9/mo (ad-free) $1.25 (ad-supported

$2.25 (ad-free) BET+ ad-free $11/mo $2.75 BritBox $9/mo $2.25 Cinemax $10/mo $2.50 Crunchyroll (Fan level) $8/mo...

It was all fun and games in Season 1 of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” until that catastrophic environmental chain reaction that created the desolate lands of Mordor. The challenge for every department on Season 2 of the Prime Video series, then, was to make all the lands of Middle Earth correspondingly darker and more troubled.

While retaining the identity of the series, the filmmakers behind “The Rings of Power” wanted to shake up how the show feels now that Sauron — excuse us, Annátar (Charlie Vickers) — is armed with powerful magic rings and a will to dominate all life.

That mission meant leaning on both old- and new-school tricks, where CG set extensions work hand in hand with painted backdrops to create a sweeping landscape with a tactile feel. It meant stressing point-of-view and handheld photography, even in the midst of the show’s biggest battle sequences. And...

The story of Aladdin is well-known to cinephiles thanks to Disney’s animated film chronicling the story of the young thief, as well as its not-as-successful live-action adaptation. But, Disney doesn’t own the rights to the story and that means that other authors can also tackle the character and potentially even in a way that is very different from what we’re used to.

The upcoming Aladdin movie is something like that, having something to do with Aladdin, but in a very different way. In fact, if you just looked at the trailer – which you are going to see soon – we don’t think you’d ever think that it is an Aladdin story.

The movie we are talking about is Aladdin 3477: The Jinn of Wisdom, which is going to be Matt Busch’s second feature once it arrives in January 2025. At this moment, we are happy to...

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Nearly 25 years after it premiered in 2000, "Gilmore Girls" remains a beloved show with a massive fanbase. The series originally ran for seven seasons before Netflix brought it back for a revival season titled "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" in 2016. The vast majority of those 150+ episodes take place in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, a small town in Connecticut where everybody knows everybody.

Now, not to break any hearts here, but Stars Hollow is not technically an actual town. It was the brainchild of series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, but it's also a setting that's meant to evoke the feeling of a real small town in the Eastern, New England region of the U.S. Indeed, "Gilmore Girls" at large centers on Lorelai Gilmore (Laruen Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel), focusing on their relationship as a single...

Imagine this: Sean Connery, the iconic James Bond, as the wise and powerful wizard Gandalf in Lotr. Sounds pretty cool, right? Well, it could have happened! Back in the late 90s, when Peter Jackson was gearing up to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings to the big screen, he had a huge decision to make: who would play Gandalf, the mystical guide of the Fellowship? Jackson thought of none other than Sean Connery, who was already a global superstar from his days as James Bond. They saw him as a perfect fit for the role, given his commanding presence and depth as an actor.

New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky explained in an interview with Independant: “We did make an offer to Connery but he said no. We never got an answer until years later, but apparently he read the material and just didn’t get it.

“Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” The conundrum of theodicy has long plagued humanity, just as it’s plagued the Ozians of Munchkinland. Like the source novel and Broadway musical, Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of part one of Wicked (penned by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox) doesn’t dig into the existential nitty-gritty of the question. But it makes its position on the matter as blunt as the theatrics are dazzling: no, people are not born wicked. It’s thrust upon them by circumstance or, more specifically, the powers that be.

As all fans of the musical already know: we begin at the end… of The Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch of the West has been defeated and the munchkins are rejoicing like they’ll never rejoice again. They’re throwing the biggest party ever seen this side of Emerald City.

Amazon’s new adaptation of the twisted tale of two power-hungry stepsiblings debuts this week.

How far would you go to preserve your power and social status? For the stepsiblings Caroline Mertueil and Lucien Belmont, no limit exists. That’s the driving force behind everything they do in “Cruel Intentions,” the new TV series coming to Prime Video this week. Fans of the 1999 movie of the same name are likely psyched about the show, but for the uninitiated, we’ve compiled this handy guide to walk you through all the information you need about the show before you start watching.

Everything you need to know about ‘Cruel Intentions’

Is there a trailer for ‘Cruel Intentions’?

When does ‘Cruel Intentions’ premiere?

What is ‘Cruel Intentions’ about?

Who stars in ‘Cruel Intentions’?

Where can you stream original ‘Cruel Intentions’?

How does the TV show connect to the movies?

Can you stream ‘Cruel Intentions’ for free?...

It's been more than one year since The Wheel of Time season 2 finale was released on Prime Video. It's safe to say that fans are anxiously awaiting any and all news about The Wheel of Time season 3. While we haven't heard anything official from the creative team, cast, or Prime Video yet, the evidence that The Wheel of Time season 3 is coming soon is starting to add up.

Most recently, Josha Stradowski, who stars as Rand al'Thor, shared a picture on his Instagram Stories. He captioned it, "London Wot press... ...," which is very, very interesting.

If Stradowski is doing press for the show right now, we could see The Wheel of Time within the next few months! Unfortunately, we know the new season is coming in 2025. It will not be released this year, just to be clear.

Josha Stradowski posted a story to Instagram with the caption "London Wot press...

Amazon Prime Video's latest hit series, "Cross" is very much in the lineage of shows like "Reacher" and "Jack Ryan. "Reacher" broke records when it hit Prime Video, immediately proving popular with its pulpy action driven by a true mountain of a man in Alan Ritchson, who finally gave fans a book-accurate Jack Reacher. Those novels, written by British author Lee Child, are immensely popular in their own right, which all but guaranteed that the streaming adaptation would — much like "Yellowstone" — become a hit with dads across the world.

There's not much to the "Reacher" formula beyond "Big man who's good at punching people goes around punching people." Of course, there are a few dad-centric accoutrements, such as Reacher being a former military policeman and a sort of tacit conservatism that undergirds the whole thing. But essentially, "Reacher" is like John Wick with a big boy in the lead. Similarly,...

Elf The Musical, the cheery – very, very cheery – revival opening tonight for a limited holiday run on Broadway, is an entirely suitable gift from a hard-working cast for fans of the well-liked 2003 Will Ferrell Christmas perennial. If you crack up at memories of Mr. Narwhal, Elf has your tinseled name on it.

For the everyone else – adults anyway – the updated Elf remains as much a mixed bag as it was during its previous two Broadway stagings in 2010 and 2012, with one major improvement: Grey Henson, the immensely likable, pitched-to-the-rafters firecracker from Mean Girls and Shucked, steps as easily into Buddy’s green winklepickers as Cinderella ever did a glass slilpper.

Henson and the rest of the cast go big and loud in the style of children’s theater,...

[This story contains spoilers from the Silo season two premiere.]

Graham Yost doesn’t want you to read the Silo book series — not yet, at least.

“I usually try and say [that] sitting right next to [author] Hugh Howey,” the Silo showrunner jokes from his office in Carmel, California. “Buy copies of the book, but don’t read them yet.”

Season two of Apple TV’s Silo premiered on Friday, with episodes rolling out weekly until the Jan. 17, 2025 finale. Yost has made no secret of his departure from the source material, pulling whole episodes out of single sentences in Wool, Howey’s first of three books in the Silo series. Howey is an executive producer on the show, and by all accounts, is thoroughly pleased with Yost’s work.

Season one covered the first half of Wool; season two will finish it. The remaining two books are Shift and Dust. “We thought of different structures for season two,...

For 40 years, People magazine has been naming the Sexiest Man Alive, an opinion with the force of tradition and therefore fact. This year, the magazine has named The Office alum John Krasinski, but People doesn't stop there; it actually names 100 sexy men, but doesn't rank them, since that might be a bit gauche. You're all the second sexiest man alive, guys. Don't overthink it.

Anyone, People has designated House of the Dragon star Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) as one of these sexy men, and interviewed him about the show. Overall, the 59-year-old actor seems beyond grateful to be working on the Game of Thrones prequel series. "You get to work with people that you have seen and admired, like for example Eve Best who plays my wife. We just became such good friends and she’s just a great actress and a great person to work with, but suddenly there’s Paddy Considine,...

‘Red One’ is most likely to stream on Prime Video once it leaves theaters, but how long will it take?

The Christmas season is nearly here, but what would happen to the holiday if Santa Claus himself went missing? That’s the dilemma faced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in his new movie “Red One,” which makes its theatrical debut on Friday, Nov. 15. When will you be able to stream the movie at home with a subscription? We’ll give our thoughts on that question below!

Key Details: Reviews indicate “Red One” is exactly the kind of holiday romp you’d expect from The Rock. The movie is being distributed by MGM studios, so will either stream on Prime Video or the MGM+ App. Recent history suggests a theatrical window of around 90 days is a good bet for “Red One.” 30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com Watch a Trailer for ‘Red One...

The new additions will unlock a huge amount of PBS content for viewers around the country, and will be free to stream.

More and more Americans are using free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) platforms to fill in the corners of their streaming setups. Most Fast channels are built to resemble classic linear TV networks, but Amazon is taking the next step by adding an actual broadcast channel to its free streaming lineup. The company has announced that Prime Video will add PBS stations from across the country, giving viewers the ability to stream the channel without a cable plan, or even an antenna.

Key Details: Prime Video is welcoming 150+ local PBS stations, the PBS Kids channel, and new PBS-themed Fast channels. The local PBS channels will be presented on Prime Video ad-free. Amazon recently discontinued its free streamer Freevee to migrate its content to Prime Video. 30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month...

The new partnerships come just hours before Diamond is due in court for a vote on its bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Thursday, Nov. 14 could see the fate of Diamond Sports Group decided once and for all. The regional sports network operator will present its bankruptcy reorganization plan for a confirmation vote by its creditors after nearly two years under Chapter 11 protections. In the final hours before that vote, the company is shoring up as much support as it can get. The company announced a new distribution deal with Prime Video on Wednesday, and also made new agreements with three Major League Baseball teams while seeing MLB drop its objections to the continuance of its deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Key Details: Prime Video will distribute all 16 FanDuel Sports Network RSNs in their respective video markets. The Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, and Detroit Tigers are going forward with new deals with Diamond.

John Rhys-Davies' portrayal of dwarf warrior Gimli in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings films is one of the most memorable roles from the original trilogy. While fans will forever love Gimli, Rhys-Davies looks back on the role with mixed memories. For instance, he doesn't miss having to spend "eight hours a day for three years of my life in a make-up chair" or donning heavy armor and climbing mountains.

The draining experience of working on the three movies certainly took its toll. Rhys-Davies stepped back from the role for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit prequel trilogy. And in the time that's passed, with former co-star Andy Serkis now working on a new movie, The Hunt for Gollum, Rhys-Davies was recently asked whether he'd be down to reprise his role over 20 years later. Turns out, he's slightly more receptive to making a triumphant return nowadays.

"Well, I’m known...

Middle-earth cinema is abuzz with projects at the moment — including multiple new additions to Peter Jackson's adaptive take on J.R.R. Tolkien's world. The resurrection of Jackson's work a decade after the release of his "Hobbit" trilogy and two decades after his "Lord of the Rings" movies premiered has led to a flood of questions about what actors could return to reprise their roles on the silver screen. Actor Miranda Otto is already narrating as Éwoyn in the anime film "The War of the Rohirrim," while Ian McKellen has also hinted that he is in talks to return in a future project as Gandalf. Other potential returning players include Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Elijah Wood as Frodo, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, and now John Rhys-Davies as Gimli.

Davies voiced his willingness to return in a recent interview, clarifying that he didn't come back for the "Hobbit" films because...

In its entertainment and services section, which includes comic book publisher Dark Horse Media, Embracer reported a 14% drop in organic growth. This decline was due to “lower activity and tough comparisons to last year” within its Middle-earth Enterprises branch, which holds the “Lord of the Rings” rights.

Middle-earth Enterprises had a “slow quarter” compared to last year, mainly due to a lack of new game releases. However, it did generate “higher film revenue than expected,” according to the company.

The PC/Console game “The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria” launched on Steam and Xbox earlier this summer and “performed slightly above management expectations.” Another release, “Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed,” saw “slower than expected” early digital sales, Embracer said.

Looking ahead, the company is optimistic about the upcoming anime “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” set to release in the U.S. and internationally next month.

The series follows the brilliant, flawed, full of contradictions, Cross who is single-minded to the point of obsession when he hunts killers.

James Patterson is bringing one of his most famous characters to life in the Prime Video series, “Cross” – featuring Alex Cross. The series follows the brilliant, flawed, full of contradictions, Cross who is single-minded to the point of obsession when he hunts killers. You can watch all eight episodes of the series when it premieres on Thursday, Nov. 14 only on Prime Video.

How to Watch “Cross” When: Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 TV: Prime Video Stream: Watch with a subscription to Prime Video 30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com About “Cross”

From creator Ben Watkins (“Hand of God”), Prime Video’s new series “Cross” offers a gripping adaptation of James Patterson’s Alex Cross novels. The show stars Aldis Hodge as Dr. Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist and detective in Washington, D.

Embracer Group, the Sweden-based firm that holds the rights to the Lord of the Rings franchise, has posted second quarter entertainment net sales down 10% in a “slow” period that should quicken up next month.

The company’s Entertainment & Services net sales for the July-September period was Sek 1.25B ($113.16M), down on the same period last year.

Overall, the company posted net sales down 21% of SEK8.55B, with the PC/Console Games, Mobile Games and Tabletop Games units also seeing decreases. Adjusted Ebit fell 33% from SEK1.81B last year to SEK1.21B this time round.

Embracer, which purchased the rights to Middle-Earth Enterprises from The Saul Zaentz Comapany in August 2022, said its entertainment division “had another slow quarter, largely as expected” as few films to other titles released. However, it noted “increasingly anticipation” around the release of anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim on December...

The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards are set to air on Jan. 12 and this year, the show will move from its recent home of the CW over to E! — a perfect fit for returning host Chelsea Handler, who once was a staple on the cable net with her “Chelsea Lately” talk show.

The Critics Choice Assn. submissions window for television categories run from Sept. 23 to Nov. 18, with deliberations kicking off Nov. 11 and continuing through Dec. 3. The TV nominations will be announced on Dec. 5. Film nominations will be announced Dec. 12; then, the film and television voting merges for final ballots. Cca members will be sent ballots on Jan. 5 and must return them by Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. Pt.

A Fresh Crop

For Cca, the eligibility period is the calendar year, which means many of last year’s big winners will sit this one out. While last year’s leader in comedy,...

In a move that’s been expected for months, Amazon is sunsetting the ad-supported free streamer and moving its content to Prime Video.

It’s time to say farewell to Freevee. The free ad-supported streaming service which offers both live streaming channels and on-demand content is due to be shut down in territories where it’s available in the coming weeks, and its content will continue to be moved to the larger Prime Video ecosystem alongside TV shows and movies that come with a subscription to that service, along with titles available for rental or purchase.

Key Details: Freevee content will move to a “Watch for Free” menu within the Prime Video interface. Free shows, movies, and channels will still be available to watch for non-Prime Video subscribers. The move will allow Amazon to cut streaming costs and simplify its interface. 30-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month amazon.com

The move to shut...

The data from Parks Associates shows how successful Amazon’s strategy of distributing Prime Video alongside Prime has been.

The current prevailing wisdom in streaming analysis is that the marketplace will continue to shift until there are just a few, giant-sized streaming services left. Companies with a large customer count have the edge, particularly those with big subscriber bases in the United States. New data from Parks Associates continues to point to Netflix, Prime Video and Disney streamers as the biggest in the U.S., showing they could have a big leg up on the competition in the future.

Key Details: Prime Video continues to be the largest streamer in the U.S., after supplanting Netflix in 2022. Disney+ rose to third on the list for the first time since 2021, beating out Hulu this year. Peacock cracked the top five of U.S. streamers in Parks’ latest report. 30-Day Free Trial...

Aldis Hodge stars in the series as Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist with the unique ability to get into the minds of dangerous criminals.

Are you ready to go toe-to-toe with some of the world’s deadliest criminals? Then it’s time to join Alex Cross on the case in “Cross,” the new thriller series heading to Prime Video. I worked in a bookstore once upon a time, and if the show comes close to living up to the legacy of the novel series by James Patterson, it’s going to be extremely popular with audiences. But for those unfamiliar with the character, what will “Cross” be about? Will it follow the plot of the novels precisely? Find out everything you need to know about the new series before it becomes available below.

What do audiences need to know about ‘Cross’ before it premieres?

Is there a trailer for ‘Cross?...

Viggo Mortensen might’ve conquered Middle-earth, but his next big-screen quest probably won’t involve the MCU. The Lord of the Rings star made it clear he wasn’t exactly thrilled by Marvel franchise life. Perhaps massive blockbuster worlds don’t really call his name anymore.

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in a still from the Lord of the Rings trilogy | Credits: New Line Cinema

While we did hope to see Mortensen wield a new kind of weapon among the Avengers, his take on the franchise formula sounds like a gentle ‘hard pass’. So, if you were waiting for Aragorn to suit up with Iron Man or Thor, consider that fan-casting dream on hold—Mortensen’s staying out of the Marvel multiverse.

Viggo Mortensen Puts Story First, and MCU Might Not Make the Cut Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

“Unless I’m broke.” Those...

When it premieres on HBO Sunday, Nov. 17, Dune: Prophecy will take the place of The Penguin on the schedule. It’ll also continue the premium cable giant’s recent run of odd corporate integration, in which it takes blockbuster Warner Bros. film franchises and retrofits them as new television versions of popular HBO series.

Just as the creative team behind The Penguin looked at the opportunity to do a standalone show focused on Colin Farrell’s waddling crime lord and delivered The Sopranos with more latex, the developers of Dune: Prophecy apparently looked at the opportunity to do a prequel tied to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and delivered House of the Dragon with (a very few) sandworms in place of (an awful lot of) dragons.

I’m not saying that when HBO’s Harry Potter series finally emerges from its endless gestation, it will be a stealth reboot of Arli...

For some fans of genre storytelling, 2024 has been a bit of a disappointing year. The Boys season 4 didn't over with fans quite as well as past installments, the House of the Dragon showrunners are feuding publicly with George R.R. Martin, and the latest Star Wars content from Disney+ — The Acolyte — was extremely divisive among fans. Since these were some of the most highly anticipated and high-budget genre series of the year, it has left many fans of genre storytelling feeling a bit morose. There have been bright spots: the historical fiction series Shogun crushed it at the Emmy’s and I personally am really enjoying the return of The Legend of Vox Machina. But whether because of last year’s acting and writer’s strikes or because new seasons of shows are taking longer than ever to reach our screens, 2024 is definitely not the year that it could have been.

Given the immense success of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, it was never likely that Hollywood would let the franchise rest. Instead, like any other big property nowadays, new movies set in Middle-earth are coming, starting with The Hunt for Gollum, directed by iconic Gollum voice actor Andy Serkis and produced by Peter Jackson himself.

Ahead of this new era of Middle-earth movies being ushered in, original series veteran Elijah Wood (Frodo) weighed in on the projects. “I am excited,” Wood told Inverse. “I am obviously a fan of the creative team. I'm invested because it is the same creative team behind Lord of the Rings.”

Wood likes the idea of getting the old team back together. If anyone can do justice to a Gollum movie, it's the person who knows Gollum inside and out. “It's revisiting that character, giving Andy a movie to direct.

The Franco-American Cultural Fund has unveiled the nine award winners from the American French Film Festival, which took place in Hollywood from Oct. 29- Nov. 3.

Taking home top prize for the audience award was “The Marching Band,” directed by Emmanuel Courcol. Boris Lojkine’s “Souleyman’s Story” took home the critics award while Louise Courvoisier’s “Holy Cow” nabbed the first film award. Taking home the American students award was “The Count of Monte Cristo” written and directed by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patellière. David Hertzog Dessites’ doc “Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand” won the documentary film award.

In the television category, “The Blissful” from director Stanislas Carré de Malberg won the TV movie award. Isaure Pisani-Ferry’s series “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” won the TV audience award. “Samber” from creator and writer Alice Géraud won the jury series award and Émilie de Monsabert’s “Suzzane” won the short film award.

It's only been a month since the season 2 finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power ran on Amazon Prime Video, and the studio has yet to announce a renewal for season 3. True, a month and change isn't that long to wait, but shows like this to time to rev up. If you want to get new episodes out to fans in anything close to resembling a timely manner, you have to start checking into locations and extras and horses and stuff pretty early on.

With reports that ratings for season 2 may not have been as strong as for season 1, some fans worry that the show is in trouble. At the very least, showrunner J.D. Payne recently said on the Rings and Realms podcast that, "We're writing season 3." So that's something.

Payne also said that "there's a lot of happening in Númenor" in the third season of the show,...

Wanna hear something depressing? In the words of Neil Bahadur on Twitter (X), "I've just realized that in 2016 Donald Trump was elected and later that year we got Barry Jenkins film Moonlight. In 2024 Donald Trump was elected, and later this year we will get Barry Jenkins film Mufasa: The Lion King.

The Prime Video TV series adaptation of the popular Fallout video game franchise already had a second season in the works before the first season even started streaming – which turned out to be a good move, because Fallout quickly became Prime Video’s second most-watched title (after The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), drawing in 65 million viewers in its first 16 days of release. Seven months after the show premiered, Deadline has learned that Macaulay Culkin, best known for starring in the first two Home Alone movies, has joined the cast of Fallout season 2. Details on his character are being kept under wraps, but Deadline was able to learn that he’ll be playing the recurring role of “a crazy genius-type character.”

While the first season was primarily filmed in New York (with some filming also taking place in Utah), production is moving to California for season 2. That...

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Ask any local in New Zealand and they’ll tell you that it’s possible to experience all four seasons in a single day, no matter where you are in the country. On a recent trip to the island nation, we experienced that for ourselves.

We were staying in Blanket Bay, a tiny Queenstown community set amongst the shores of Lake Wakatipu and the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Fiordland nearby.

The season four premiere of Outer Banks brought the Netflix show back onto the streaming charts — but with only half a season released this time, it fell well short of its last premiere.

The YA drama delivered 1.19 billion minutes of viewing for the week of Oct. 7-13 (season four debuted Oct. 10), good for second place overall in Nielsen’s streaming rankings. By comparison, season three’s opening week in February 2023 — which featured the entire season released at once — drew 3.15 billion minutes of watch time.

The half-season release (part two premiered Thursday) for Outer Banks undoubtedly played a part in the lower viewing time total. Season four of Emily in Paris similarly had a sizable decline with a half-season premiere in August (but season three of Bridgerton in May did not).

Netflix’s dating show Love Is Blind led the Oct. 7-13 charts with 1.23 billion minutes of viewing; no other show crossed the 1 billion mark.

The contract includes a clause that allows Amazon to distribute NBA games via new models in the future.

Despite a desperate lawsuit by Warner Bros. Discovery to keep live NBA games out of Amazon’s hands, all signs point to the e-retailer becoming an NBA broadcast partner in 2025-26. Amazon’s 11-year deal with the NBA will see it pay nearly $2 billion per season for a package of regular season and playoff games, but until now few other details about the contract between the two have been revealed. Now, more information about the deal is available, including an intriguing “Successor Technology” clause that could lead to trouble between the new partners in the future.

Key Details: The Successor Technology stipulation allows Amazon to distribute NBA games via new methods should they emerge in the coming years. The NBA cannot unreasonably object to these methods, or add new costs to its deal with Amazon.

The corpse of Halloween is barely cold, but studios are keen to announce holiday-themed projects nonetheless. Thankfully, this one sounds like one hell of a ride! Maria Bakalova is catching a ride alongside Peter Mullan for No Way Off, a Christmas Eve thriller from Downton Abbey director Brian Kelly. Kelly directs from a script by Gaby Hull, with James Wilkinson producing.

Akin to movies like The Shallows, Buried, and Crawl, No Way Off finds Bakalova in the role of Laura, “a young mother who waits at a bus stop with her infant son. When the bus pulls up, its driver is wearing a latex Santa mask. Laura climbs aboard, collapsing into her seat. Exhausted and stressed, she soon falls asleep. When Laura wakes, night has fallen. The bus is now hurtling along a motorway, miles off its usual route. Apart from the sleeping baby, she is the only passenger left on board.

Yeah. New Yorkers had a proud moment to shine when it was alleged that Gotham City shown by Matt Reeves was based on their city. However, Reeves clarified the matter and the New Yorkers might be a bit wrong on this one.

Robert Pattinson in a still from The Batman | Credits: DC Films

Displayed in all its glory, Gotham is a gloomy and corrupted place in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and The Penguin. However, the director clarified that although it’s not based on New York, he wanted Gotham to feel real and familiar.

Gotham City is Not Based on New York

The city is an emotion itself in the world of Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson’s The Batman. Gotham breathes and heaves throughout the night as corruption and villainy run rampant in this gothic place.

The city was not inspired by New York or Chicago | Credits: DC Films

Well,...

Warner Bros. Discovery has in charge of operating the channel since 2008, but once the two sides split up next year its fate is in doubt.

By all indications, the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery are headed for a divorce. The Association’s new media rights deals set to take hold in the 2025-26 season don’t include a package for TNT for the first time in decades, and though Wbd is trying to sue to claim its right to match an offer for a parcel of games was unfairly disregarded, the writing seems to be on the wall. That brings into question what will happen to both the NBA TV cable channel and the NBA League Pass streaming service, both of which are run jointly by the league and Wbd.

Key Details: The NBA owns NBA TV outright, but Wbd has been tasked with operations at the channel since 2008. The...

Elden Ring has a world that is nearly unmatched in depth, vastness, and sheer mystery. With its widespread popularity and the love that fans have for challenging gameplay, it’s no surprise that there are discussions about a potential Lord of the Rings (Lotr)-themed Soulslike game.

The epic scale of Lotr would be perfect for FromSoft. | Image Credit: Warner Bros

FromSoftware has led the gaming industry in the creation of games full of challenges, mystery, and dark unknowns. The idea of merging FromSoft’s expertise in creating dark, gritty atmospheres with the epic scale and mythical creatures of Middle-earth is an exciting one.

Going From Elden Ring‘s The Lands Between to Middle Earth Would Sure Be Sick

Many fans envision FromSoftware’s dark and immersive art style perfectly aligning with the grittier aspects of Tolkien’s world. Reddit user DrDre19899 proposed in their post that players could face off against legendary Lotr creatures,...

When it comes to superhero-based video games, very few titles have connected with players quite like Batman: Arkham City. Released in 2011 by Rocksteady Studios, the game quickly became the gold standard for what a superhero game should be. For many, it didn’t just set a standard for superhero games but it also captured the true essence of Batman in many ways that remain difficult to surpass.

Arkham City was a huge success and showcased how a superhero-based game should be made. | Image Credit: Rocksteady Studios

Despite the success of subsequent entries in the Arkham series, including the visually stunning Batman: Arkham Knight, no game has quite recaptured the magic of Arkham City. Even as the popularity of superhero gaming continues to grow, it remains the high bar that future DC titles will have to clear. With each new release, it seems increasingly unlikely that any upcoming DC project will...

"Over the Garden Wall" creator Patrick McHale always considered Aardman to be the pinnacle of animation, and he was always interested in the art of stop-motion. Though he's worked in some highly influential shows like "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" and "Adventure Time," and he did co-write the script to "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio," it wasn't until this year that he fulfilled his dream of working in stop-motion — and with Aardman, no less.

Just in time for its 10th anniversary, Cartoon Network released an "Over the Garden Wall" short film from Aardman and McHale, and it's a full circle moment for the animator in more ways than one. As McHale told Inverse, "In some ways, it seems like 'Over the Garden Wall' probably should have been realized in stop-motion all along — it just feels kind of right for that world," and he is absolutely right.

Dan Ojari...

Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman have all signed on to star in the upcoming dark comedy feature Chili Finger, with first-timers Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad to co-direct. Helstad wrote the script and Goodman is an executive producer. Additional castmembers Sarah Herrman and Paul Stanko are currently attached, with production slated to begin next spring. The film is produced by Beyond the Porch and Gold Tree Studios.

Chili Finger tells the story of a recently empty-nested mother (Greer) who discovers a human finger in her bowl of fast-food chili. When she blackmails the restaurant for a cash payout, the situation spirals out of control and her life descends into chaos.

So far, Astin, Cranston and Goodman’s characters are being kept under wraps.

“We couldn’t ask for a better cast to bring our quirky dark comedy to the big screen,” said co-directors Benda and Helstad.

Sir Christopher Lee is among the finest actors of his generation, having appeared in some of the biggest film franchises of the 2000s. Lee played the role of Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequels directed by George Lucas. He also had a pivotal supporting role as Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

Christopher Lee played Count Dooku in Star Wars (Credit: Lucasfilm).

During an interview before his passing, Lee spoke about his work in both the mega franchises. However, the veteran actor made one clever observation that despite what fans of the J. R. R. Tolkien-authored books believe, proves Lucas’ epic space opera saga is far superior in one department. Here is what Christopher Lee had to say about comparing the two franchises.

Christopher Lee Explained the One Aspect That Makes Star Wars Better Than Lord of the Rings

Sir Christopher...

X-Ray Recaps will use generative AI to help viewers catch up on an episode, season or show without worrying about spoilers.

Obviously, the best way to get caught up on a TV series you’re a few episodes behind on is to go back and watch. But we don’t live in a perfect world; people have lives and responsibilities, and that doesn’t always leave time for viewers to go back and watch every episode of a show to get caught up. Prime Video knows that which is why it has announced the release of its new “X-Ray Recaps” feature, allowing viewers to catch up to exactly the point they need to in a given show.

Key Details: X-Ray Recaps uses generative AI to create synopses for TV episodes, shows, and seasons. Customers can choose to recap up to a specific point in a single episode if they choose and expand from there.

Amazon MGM Studios has elevated Tom Lieber to head of scripted series, U.K.

Lieber, who was previously overseeing genre programming, will still report to Laura Lancaster, head of co-pro television and ongoing series. Vernon Sanders, head of TV at Amazon MGM Studios, announced the news in an internal note on Monday.

“In this new role, Tom will provide single-threaded leadership of all new development and ongoing series produced in the U.K.,” the memo reads. “The work and executives that were formerly assigned to our Pan-English team will fold into Tom’s new group.”

Last week, it was announced that TV vet Rola Bauer was stepping down from her role as head of English-language global original series produced outside the U.S.

Sanders’ note continues: “With the recent acquisition of Bray Film Studios and our growing slate of U.K.-based television productions, we will benefit from Tom’s...

Tom Lieber, who has been overseeing genre programming under Laura Lancaster, Head, Co-Pro Television and Ongoing Series at Amazon MGM Studios, has been elevated to Head of Scripted Series, UK. Amazon MGM Studios Head of Television Vernon Sanders just made the announcement internally.

“In this new role, Tom will provide single-threaded leadership of all new development and ongoing series produced in the UK,” Sanders said.

Lieber will absorb the role of Rola Bauer who recently exited As Amazon MGM Studios Head of Pan-English original content, overseeing scripted series originating out of the UK. Her team and slate will now be folded into Lieber’s new group.

Going forward, Tara Erer and her team will continue working on their existing slate of shows currently in post-production and development, including Malice, The Devils Hour, and The Rig S2, with all new scripted development going through Lieber and his team. Erer will also continue overseeing UK unscripted content,...